Last paved ramp at Lake Oroville to close Aug. 20

OROVILLE &GT;&GT; Lake Oroville is running out of paved boat launch ramps as the lake continues to drop.

State Parks announced Monday the last paved ramp, at Bidwell Marina, will be closing down Aug. 20.

Monday at the ramp, Jennifer and Randy Gastineau of Woodland were taking their boat out of the water. "We were going to come back on the 23rd but they said the ramp is closing on the 20th" she said.

Aaron Wright, California State Parks superintendent who oversees the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, said the state park has to make the decision to close the ramps when water levels drop to a certain point. He can recall the Bidwell Canyon boat ramp closing several times in prior years but never this early in the season.

In mid-July, the state opted to close both the Lime Saddle Marina ramp and the Spillway launch because of low water level. At the Spillway, the Department of Water Resources will be opening a gravel ramp, accessed from Spillway upper parking lot.

A boarding float or dock and lighting will be set up there, and be maintained by State Park's staff.

Officials say that four-wheel-drive vehicles are highly recommended if accessing or launching from this area.

Sherry Cook, office manager at Bidwell Canyon Marina, said some are trying to get their small boats out of the lake before the last ramp closes. She said the situation has caused some to cancel reservations for camping or for Labor Day weekend at the end of the month.

Bidwell Canyon Marina is operated by Forever Resorts, which also runs Lime Saddle Marina and other concessions on the lake.

Cook said reservations at the marina are down slightly due to the drought, but people are still coming.

"We've been fairly busy. Not as busy as it should be," Cook said.

She said they were busy with the people who visit the lake year round. To help people access their boat, the marina runs a shuttle from the boat launch.

"There's still a lot of lake," she said.

With the gravel ramp opening and the Bidwell Marina shuttle service still available, the closure of the three other ramps is not expected to limit boating on the lake, Wright said.

"This is a very deep lake so there are still recreational facilities," Wright said. "Just be patient when you get to the launch ramp. We look forward to seeing everyone out on the lake."

Wright also reminds lake users to be cautious of hazards that are presenting due to the low water levels, such as small islands and rock outcrops.

Alternatives for powerboat recreation include the South Forebay and Afterbay. Non-motorized watercraft can use the North Forebay and the Diversion Pool just below the dam.